I joined two of my favorites this week and appeared on the Gramlich and Mac Lain Podcast. A transcript of the discussion is below:
Eric Mac Lain: D Money, welcome back, brother. It’s a scheduled appearance at this point—wash, rinse, repeat. And after we win this thing… I’m saying “we” after we win. After y’all win this thing, we’ve got to get you back on and fully encapsulate this season. But it’s been a wild ride. Truly. I feel like I’ve seen you every week for the last month and change, which is great. I want to start off a little different. I know you’re an astute media member and you walk that line fantastically, but I want to talk to Danny the fan—the kid growing up watching these Canes—and the fact that Miami is back in a national championship. How are you feeling right now, man?
DMoney: As a fan, it’s unreal. When I was a kid, I went to the ’91 championship—also a home championship—Miami’s last home championship. Orange Bowl against Nebraska, 22-0. I was six or seven, so I remember it, and I thought it was going to be every year.
They were back the next year, lost to Alabama, and then probation hit. Then there was that long drought until about 2001—felt like forever trying to climb back up. In 2002, I went to the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State with my girlfriend at the time, who’s now my wife. It was our first trip together. Tough day.
So the last 23 years have been good personally—married, kids—but the Canes haven’t been what they were. Let's call it a push. I was 17 for that Fiesta Bowl. Now I’m 40—Mike Gundy age. It’s been a long, long stretch.
That’s why it’s crazy when people call Miami a blue blood—because for a lot of kids, they’ve never actually seen it. Carson Beck was born a month before that Fiesta Bowl and he’s an older player. Malachi Toney wasn’t even a thought.
I’m happiest for two generations: the young kids—mine are 10 and 11, other kids wearing Malachi Toney jerseys, rocking Cam Ward jerseys last year—becoming Miami fans through this run. And then the 32-year-old crowd—not old, not young—who’ve never really experienced Miami being elite. They finally get to live it.
Kelly Gramlich: DMoney, I’m glad you say that because Mac and I are both 32. Not old, not young. It is what it is. But Mac and I have been college football fans since we were kids, and I don’t really remember Miami being good. The first national title I truly remember—partly because I grew up in Texas—was Texas in ’05. That’s my first clear one.
So you’ve got young millennials who know the history but haven’t seen it. And then you’ve got kids who become diehard Miami fans because they finally have something real to attach to.
When Mario Cristobal got this job, we all said, “If anyone’s going to do it, it’s him.” But it was still a big “if” because it had been so long. What are the one, two, three keys Cristobal has done that separated him from the many qualified guys before him who couldn’t get Miami back here?
DMoney: One thing that separates Mario—not just from the guys who failed, but even some of the guys who won championships—is his specialty: recruiting offensive linemen, especially out of state.
South Florida has the best football players in the country. You can argue four of the top five players in college football are from Miami: Mendoza, Jeremiah Smith, Malachi Toney, Rueben Bain. At least four of the top 10. The talent is everywhere here—except at offensive line. There aren’t a lot of E-Macs walking around.
Eric Mac Lain: It’s too hot. You can’t gain weight down there.
DMoney: Exactly. And a lot of the big bodies end up on defensive line. So when your superpower is going out and getting offensive linemen, you’re fixing Miami’s biggest weakness and turning it into a strength.
I think back to July 4th, 2022—before Mario coached a game—when he landed Francis Mauigoa, born in American Samoa. You can’t be further from Miami. That commitment felt like a statement: we’re here, we’re recruiting the best.
Same class: Samson Okunlola, five-star out of Brockton, Massachusetts, now playing really good guard for Miami. That class was huge up front. Receivers will always be available here—Jeremiah Smith leaves, you get Malachi Toney the next year. But those offensive line battles? You have to win them. So that’s number one.
Number two is the culture of toughness. A lot of coaches talk about it. Mario put it on tape. Miami runs to the ball. Miami takes hits. Miami delivers hits. That toughness shows up every week. It’s not branding—it’s identity.
Number three is keeping more local guys home. Malachi Toney. Rueben Bain. Mark Fletcher. Armondo Blount. Wesley Bissainthe. OJ Frederique. Bryce Fitzgerald. Those are South Florida players driving this team. It’s not perfect—you can’t keep losing Jeremiah Smith types and watch Miami kids win the Heisman elsewhere—but he's doing a better job than the guys before him.
Kelly Gramlich: And it’s different with him because he’s a former player and national champion for this team. There’s a responsibility he carries that makes it impossible not to give everything every day. He wakes up thinking, “I have to do more.” And he built a staff that operates the same way. If you don’t, you’re out.
It’s a double-edged sword, though. If you win this thing, I hope somebody grabs him and says, “Enjoy it.” Because he’ll flip the page immediately and start chasing the next one. He’s addicted to the grind. That’s his greatest strength.
Looking at this run, it’s been the hardest path and the most unlikely path—last at-large bid. What’s been the separator? What has Miami done better than everyone else to get here?
DMoney: Before I answer, one quick thing on the grind piece—because you nailed it.
The day of his mom’s funeral was Mario's first spring practice at Miami. He practiced that day. He told people, “This is what she would have wanted.” His mom was a Cuban immigrant. My family came from Cuba, too. In our community, gratitude to this country is a huge thing. You work harder because you know how lucky you are to be here. He watched his parents grind for a better life. That’s part of why he coaches the way he does. And when players see their head coach show up like that, it sets a tone.
Now to the path: the separator has been the run game showing up when it matters most. Miami didn’t run the ball as consistently as they wanted during the regular season. There were stretches—Notre Dame, Florida—where it looked right, but it wasn’t constant.
In the playoff, it’s been different. Mark Fletcher is going insane. Miami’s running the ball on demand against top-10 teams. That’s championship football. And what’s wild is ACC teams did a better job defending Miami’s run game than some of these playoff opponents. But on this run, Miami’s rediscovered it.
Kelly Gramlich: That anecdote was powerful. And I agree on the run game.
Let’s shift to Indiana. Can you give us injury updates—mainly about Mesidor? Mac and I were worried, but it sounds like he’ll be available.
DMoney: Mesidor should be good to go. OJ Frederique should be good. The questionable group is Damari Brown and Elija Lofton. Cristobal mentioned them. Day-to-day.
Mesidor’s 25 or 26. He’s been playing forever. He always plays hurt. Unless a limb falls off, he’s playing in the national championship.
Eric Mac Lain: How about Moten? That lower body okay?
DMoney: Moten’s good.
Eric Mac Lain: Alright. A key matchup to me is the run game and controlling the clock, but the first key is affecting Fernando Mendoza with the defensive line. He’s not a statue—he can move. What are you hearing about the plan to attack him?
DMoney: He’s running way better than I expected. I followed him in high school—he was committed to Yale, and I remember thinking, “How is this guy not FBS?” He’s 6’5, has arm talent, and he went to the same high school as Mario Cristobal, Bryce Fitzgerald, and Alex Mirabal. He was tall, awkward early—like a baby giraffe. By his senior year he started showing more off-platform ability. Now he’s much stronger and more coordinated, to the point where Indiana is calling quarterback power.
Ohio State’s Caden Curry had success against Indiana’s right tackle. Indiana’s line is good, but Miami’s defensive line has better athletes and more talent. They can win those matchups.
The danger is Mendoza pre-snap. If he’s clean and confident, he’ll place those back-shoulder throws perfectly, and their receivers finish them. Miami has to change the picture, force him to hold it longer, and get him on the ground. He’s holding it around three seconds in the playoff—longer than Ole Miss—so opportunities will be there if the rush wins.
Eric Mac Lain: We’ve heard all playoff that Indiana doesn’t have the same four- and five-star volume as the other teams. Does Miami need the “freaks” to show up—explosiveness, difference-makers—because Indiana’s built on discipline and older football?
DMoney: The blue-chip talent has to show. On the defensive line, Justin Scott is a five-star. Armondo Blount is a five-star. Marquise Lightfoot is a five-star. Rueben Bain was a four-star because of arm length—same argument you’ll hear in draft season—but his production was insane. He had three sacks against IMG, including Francis Mauigoa, and still didn’t get that fifth star. Chip-on-the-shoulder guy.
Indiana’s talent is underrated, though. Mendoza is a first-pick type. Their receivers will get drafted—Becker in particular is a real downfield threat. Their left tackle will get drafted. They’ve got players.
And for all the talk about Indiana's age, Miami’s older than people realize. Beck is 23. Keelan Marion and CJ Daniels are 23. Mo Toure is from the class of 2019. Keionte Scott is older. Mesidor’s older. It’s two good teams. The main talent edge Miami has to exploit is their defensive line versus Indiana’s offensive line.
Kelly Gramlich: What about the Indiana receivers vs the Miami DBs?
DMoney: Again, it starts with the quarterback. If Mendoza is comfortable, those back-shoulder throws are almost indefensible. Disguise, make him process post-snap, force an extra beat. And of course, pressure.
Indiana’s corners are both Miami kids. Sharpe went to Miami Northwestern. D’Angelo Ponds went to Chaminade—the same school as Jeremiah Smith and CJ Bailey—he was teammates with those guys. There’s familiarity there.
Miami won’t just run past them. Those corners can fly—4.3, 4.4 speed. But Miami’s receivers are stronger. Daniels and Marion are grown men. Malachi Toney is a violent blocker for his size and physical at the catch point. The advantage is strength and physicality, not raw speed.
Kelly Gramlich: Ticket prices are insane. Crowd split?
DMoney: Probably close to 50/50, maybe 55/45 Miami. Allotments are equal. Indiana has demand, but paying for a premium ticket plus travel and hotels is tough. Miami fans can spend big on the ticket without the travel burden.
And the interest in Miami is real. People have waited a long time for this. This isn’t “go to the beach and hope the Canes win.” People are fired up.
Kelly Gramlich: Before we go portal, quick on Carson Beck. He’s crushed the stigma. What’s been the Beck experience?
DMoney: Awesome. The intangibles were misrepresented coming in. He fit immediately. He’s 23 and still connected with the young guys from day one. When he does those post-game interviews, Marion walks by and says “stop sleeping on my boy,” Fletcher calls him "The GOAT." That’s not just for the cameras.
The last narrative was “if you need Beck to win it, he can’t.” Of course, he did exactly that against Ole Miss—big throws, big decisions, then runs in the winner. Now it’s one last question: does he have one more in him to win Miami’s sixth title and go from great to legend?
Kelly Gramlich: Portal outlook while prepping for a natty?
DMoney: Retention first. That’s going well because the team is together and chasing a title. Acquisition is slower because of the calendar, but they’ve already added two receivers—Cam Vaughn from West Virginia and Vandrevius Jacobs from South Carolina. Jacobs made that wild play against Clemson where he landed, nobody realized he caught it, and he took off. They added DT Jarquez Carter from Ohio State. They added S Omar Thornton from Boston College.
It’ll be a smaller portal class than recent years—more like the Ohio State/Georgia model: fewer takes, more impact. The positions to watch for big-money adds are quarterback and defensive end, because those are premium losses with Beck and the edge guys.
Eric Mac Lain: D Money, appreciate you, man. Excited to see you in a couple days.
DMoney: Fired up. Thanks for having me. Canes Nation loves you guys—keep doing what you’re doing.
Eric Mac Lain: D Money, welcome back, brother. It’s a scheduled appearance at this point—wash, rinse, repeat. And after we win this thing… I’m saying “we” after we win. After y’all win this thing, we’ve got to get you back on and fully encapsulate this season. But it’s been a wild ride. Truly. I feel like I’ve seen you every week for the last month and change, which is great. I want to start off a little different. I know you’re an astute media member and you walk that line fantastically, but I want to talk to Danny the fan—the kid growing up watching these Canes—and the fact that Miami is back in a national championship. How are you feeling right now, man?
DMoney: As a fan, it’s unreal. When I was a kid, I went to the ’91 championship—also a home championship—Miami’s last home championship. Orange Bowl against Nebraska, 22-0. I was six or seven, so I remember it, and I thought it was going to be every year.
They were back the next year, lost to Alabama, and then probation hit. Then there was that long drought until about 2001—felt like forever trying to climb back up. In 2002, I went to the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State with my girlfriend at the time, who’s now my wife. It was our first trip together. Tough day.
So the last 23 years have been good personally—married, kids—but the Canes haven’t been what they were. Let's call it a push. I was 17 for that Fiesta Bowl. Now I’m 40—Mike Gundy age. It’s been a long, long stretch.
That’s why it’s crazy when people call Miami a blue blood—because for a lot of kids, they’ve never actually seen it. Carson Beck was born a month before that Fiesta Bowl and he’s an older player. Malachi Toney wasn’t even a thought.
I’m happiest for two generations: the young kids—mine are 10 and 11, other kids wearing Malachi Toney jerseys, rocking Cam Ward jerseys last year—becoming Miami fans through this run. And then the 32-year-old crowd—not old, not young—who’ve never really experienced Miami being elite. They finally get to live it.
Kelly Gramlich: DMoney, I’m glad you say that because Mac and I are both 32. Not old, not young. It is what it is. But Mac and I have been college football fans since we were kids, and I don’t really remember Miami being good. The first national title I truly remember—partly because I grew up in Texas—was Texas in ’05. That’s my first clear one.
So you’ve got young millennials who know the history but haven’t seen it. And then you’ve got kids who become diehard Miami fans because they finally have something real to attach to.
When Mario Cristobal got this job, we all said, “If anyone’s going to do it, it’s him.” But it was still a big “if” because it had been so long. What are the one, two, three keys Cristobal has done that separated him from the many qualified guys before him who couldn’t get Miami back here?
DMoney: One thing that separates Mario—not just from the guys who failed, but even some of the guys who won championships—is his specialty: recruiting offensive linemen, especially out of state.
South Florida has the best football players in the country. You can argue four of the top five players in college football are from Miami: Mendoza, Jeremiah Smith, Malachi Toney, Rueben Bain. At least four of the top 10. The talent is everywhere here—except at offensive line. There aren’t a lot of E-Macs walking around.
Eric Mac Lain: It’s too hot. You can’t gain weight down there.
DMoney: Exactly. And a lot of the big bodies end up on defensive line. So when your superpower is going out and getting offensive linemen, you’re fixing Miami’s biggest weakness and turning it into a strength.
I think back to July 4th, 2022—before Mario coached a game—when he landed Francis Mauigoa, born in American Samoa. You can’t be further from Miami. That commitment felt like a statement: we’re here, we’re recruiting the best.
Same class: Samson Okunlola, five-star out of Brockton, Massachusetts, now playing really good guard for Miami. That class was huge up front. Receivers will always be available here—Jeremiah Smith leaves, you get Malachi Toney the next year. But those offensive line battles? You have to win them. So that’s number one.
Number two is the culture of toughness. A lot of coaches talk about it. Mario put it on tape. Miami runs to the ball. Miami takes hits. Miami delivers hits. That toughness shows up every week. It’s not branding—it’s identity.
Number three is keeping more local guys home. Malachi Toney. Rueben Bain. Mark Fletcher. Armondo Blount. Wesley Bissainthe. OJ Frederique. Bryce Fitzgerald. Those are South Florida players driving this team. It’s not perfect—you can’t keep losing Jeremiah Smith types and watch Miami kids win the Heisman elsewhere—but he's doing a better job than the guys before him.
Kelly Gramlich: And it’s different with him because he’s a former player and national champion for this team. There’s a responsibility he carries that makes it impossible not to give everything every day. He wakes up thinking, “I have to do more.” And he built a staff that operates the same way. If you don’t, you’re out.
It’s a double-edged sword, though. If you win this thing, I hope somebody grabs him and says, “Enjoy it.” Because he’ll flip the page immediately and start chasing the next one. He’s addicted to the grind. That’s his greatest strength.
Looking at this run, it’s been the hardest path and the most unlikely path—last at-large bid. What’s been the separator? What has Miami done better than everyone else to get here?
DMoney: Before I answer, one quick thing on the grind piece—because you nailed it.
The day of his mom’s funeral was Mario's first spring practice at Miami. He practiced that day. He told people, “This is what she would have wanted.” His mom was a Cuban immigrant. My family came from Cuba, too. In our community, gratitude to this country is a huge thing. You work harder because you know how lucky you are to be here. He watched his parents grind for a better life. That’s part of why he coaches the way he does. And when players see their head coach show up like that, it sets a tone.
Now to the path: the separator has been the run game showing up when it matters most. Miami didn’t run the ball as consistently as they wanted during the regular season. There were stretches—Notre Dame, Florida—where it looked right, but it wasn’t constant.
In the playoff, it’s been different. Mark Fletcher is going insane. Miami’s running the ball on demand against top-10 teams. That’s championship football. And what’s wild is ACC teams did a better job defending Miami’s run game than some of these playoff opponents. But on this run, Miami’s rediscovered it.
Kelly Gramlich: That anecdote was powerful. And I agree on the run game.
Let’s shift to Indiana. Can you give us injury updates—mainly about Mesidor? Mac and I were worried, but it sounds like he’ll be available.
DMoney: Mesidor should be good to go. OJ Frederique should be good. The questionable group is Damari Brown and Elija Lofton. Cristobal mentioned them. Day-to-day.
Mesidor’s 25 or 26. He’s been playing forever. He always plays hurt. Unless a limb falls off, he’s playing in the national championship.
Eric Mac Lain: How about Moten? That lower body okay?
DMoney: Moten’s good.
Eric Mac Lain: Alright. A key matchup to me is the run game and controlling the clock, but the first key is affecting Fernando Mendoza with the defensive line. He’s not a statue—he can move. What are you hearing about the plan to attack him?
DMoney: He’s running way better than I expected. I followed him in high school—he was committed to Yale, and I remember thinking, “How is this guy not FBS?” He’s 6’5, has arm talent, and he went to the same high school as Mario Cristobal, Bryce Fitzgerald, and Alex Mirabal. He was tall, awkward early—like a baby giraffe. By his senior year he started showing more off-platform ability. Now he’s much stronger and more coordinated, to the point where Indiana is calling quarterback power.
Ohio State’s Caden Curry had success against Indiana’s right tackle. Indiana’s line is good, but Miami’s defensive line has better athletes and more talent. They can win those matchups.
The danger is Mendoza pre-snap. If he’s clean and confident, he’ll place those back-shoulder throws perfectly, and their receivers finish them. Miami has to change the picture, force him to hold it longer, and get him on the ground. He’s holding it around three seconds in the playoff—longer than Ole Miss—so opportunities will be there if the rush wins.
Eric Mac Lain: We’ve heard all playoff that Indiana doesn’t have the same four- and five-star volume as the other teams. Does Miami need the “freaks” to show up—explosiveness, difference-makers—because Indiana’s built on discipline and older football?
DMoney: The blue-chip talent has to show. On the defensive line, Justin Scott is a five-star. Armondo Blount is a five-star. Marquise Lightfoot is a five-star. Rueben Bain was a four-star because of arm length—same argument you’ll hear in draft season—but his production was insane. He had three sacks against IMG, including Francis Mauigoa, and still didn’t get that fifth star. Chip-on-the-shoulder guy.
Indiana’s talent is underrated, though. Mendoza is a first-pick type. Their receivers will get drafted—Becker in particular is a real downfield threat. Their left tackle will get drafted. They’ve got players.
And for all the talk about Indiana's age, Miami’s older than people realize. Beck is 23. Keelan Marion and CJ Daniels are 23. Mo Toure is from the class of 2019. Keionte Scott is older. Mesidor’s older. It’s two good teams. The main talent edge Miami has to exploit is their defensive line versus Indiana’s offensive line.
Kelly Gramlich: What about the Indiana receivers vs the Miami DBs?
DMoney: Again, it starts with the quarterback. If Mendoza is comfortable, those back-shoulder throws are almost indefensible. Disguise, make him process post-snap, force an extra beat. And of course, pressure.
Indiana’s corners are both Miami kids. Sharpe went to Miami Northwestern. D’Angelo Ponds went to Chaminade—the same school as Jeremiah Smith and CJ Bailey—he was teammates with those guys. There’s familiarity there.
Miami won’t just run past them. Those corners can fly—4.3, 4.4 speed. But Miami’s receivers are stronger. Daniels and Marion are grown men. Malachi Toney is a violent blocker for his size and physical at the catch point. The advantage is strength and physicality, not raw speed.
Kelly Gramlich: Ticket prices are insane. Crowd split?
DMoney: Probably close to 50/50, maybe 55/45 Miami. Allotments are equal. Indiana has demand, but paying for a premium ticket plus travel and hotels is tough. Miami fans can spend big on the ticket without the travel burden.
And the interest in Miami is real. People have waited a long time for this. This isn’t “go to the beach and hope the Canes win.” People are fired up.
Kelly Gramlich: Before we go portal, quick on Carson Beck. He’s crushed the stigma. What’s been the Beck experience?
DMoney: Awesome. The intangibles were misrepresented coming in. He fit immediately. He’s 23 and still connected with the young guys from day one. When he does those post-game interviews, Marion walks by and says “stop sleeping on my boy,” Fletcher calls him "The GOAT." That’s not just for the cameras.
The last narrative was “if you need Beck to win it, he can’t.” Of course, he did exactly that against Ole Miss—big throws, big decisions, then runs in the winner. Now it’s one last question: does he have one more in him to win Miami’s sixth title and go from great to legend?
Kelly Gramlich: Portal outlook while prepping for a natty?
DMoney: Retention first. That’s going well because the team is together and chasing a title. Acquisition is slower because of the calendar, but they’ve already added two receivers—Cam Vaughn from West Virginia and Vandrevius Jacobs from South Carolina. Jacobs made that wild play against Clemson where he landed, nobody realized he caught it, and he took off. They added DT Jarquez Carter from Ohio State. They added S Omar Thornton from Boston College.
It’ll be a smaller portal class than recent years—more like the Ohio State/Georgia model: fewer takes, more impact. The positions to watch for big-money adds are quarterback and defensive end, because those are premium losses with Beck and the edge guys.
Eric Mac Lain: D Money, appreciate you, man. Excited to see you in a couple days.
DMoney: Fired up. Thanks for having me. Canes Nation loves you guys—keep doing what you’re doing.
